A major international project to support the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s initial strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping has been launched.
Entitled GreenVoyage-2050, the project will initiate and promote global efforts to demonstrate and test technical solutions for reducing such emissions, as well as enhancing knowledge and information sharing to support the IMO GHG reduction strategy.
GreenVoyage-2050 is a collaboration between IMO and the Government of Norway and will run for an initial two-year period.
More than 50 countries in 14 sub-regions across the globe are expected to participate, including developed countries and strategic partners from the private sector, who will contribute expertise and experience.
The project will also build capacity in developing countries, including small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs), to fulfil their commitments to meet climate-change and energy-efficiency goals for international shipping.
Initially, eight countries, from five high-priority regions (Asia, Africa, Caribbean, Latin America and Pacific), are expected to take pilot roles, to pursue and undertake actions at the national level.
These pilot countries will then become “champions”, galvanising momentum by supporting other partnering countries in their respective regions to follow a similar path.
Promote green technology
Speaking at the official launch of GreenVoyage-2050 recently, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said the project was a direct response to the need to provide technical assistance to States.
And to support technology transfer and promote green technology uptake to improve energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions throughout the maritime sector.
The Government of Norway is giving financial support for GreenVoyage-2050 of NOK 10,000,000 (US$1.1 million) for the initial two years of the project.
Norway is intending to fund the project beyond the two years.
Lim also drew particular attention to the importance of private-sector participation in the project.
“I am particularly encouraged by the fact that the GreenVoyage-2050 project is designed with a private-sector partnership component.
“This will accelerate the uptake of technology solutions by the industry.”
GreenVoyage-2050 will eventually be scaled-up vertically (more technology demonstration and infrastructure efforts) and horizontally (more pilot countries joining the project) through mobilising additional resources.
The objective is to accelerate implementation of the initial IMO GHG strategy.
